GRAMMY® Award-winner Norman Brown is a multi-talented
guitarist, composer, and singer who offers tasty sonic tidbits of classic
R&B and contemporary jazz leaving his fans melting into satisfied aural
bliss with every succulent, jazz inflected note. He has earned both critical
acclaim and off-the-charts record sales, including his song, ‘Stay With Me’
landing at the top of Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz chart and his 2005
compilation, The Very Best Of Norman Brown the best- selling
smooth jazz albums of that year.

Bobby Caldwell’s live
performances are always electrifying. Drawing from his vast repertoire of
R&B, intimate smooth jazz stylings, and big band songs, he has the ability
to entertain at any venue. As a singer, Caldwell has a successful career with
numerous solo releases, which have earned accolades far and wide. His
songwriting skills have also earned hits for Chicago, Boz Scaggs, Neil Diamond,
and Al Jarreau. Caldwell’s timeless classic, “What You Won’t Do For Love,”
has been recorded and sampled by more than 100 artists. His song, “Open
Your Eyes,” appeared in the GRAMMY nominated platinum hit by Common. All
combine, Caldwell’s songs and samples have contributed to over 40 million sales
with artists as diverse as Michael Bolton, Roberta Flack, Go West, and Boys II
Men.

Smooth jazz-styled soprano
saxophonist Marion Meadows was born in West Virginia and raised
primarily in Connecticut; after adopting the classical clarinet at age nine, he
moved to the saxophone as a teen, later studying composition and arranging at
Boston’s Berklee College of Music. A protégé of Joe Henderson and Eddie
Daniels, Meadows later served a long stint as a member of Norman Connors’
Starship Orchestra; after a series of session dates and sideman gigs, he made
his solo debut in 1990 with the release of For Lovers Only,
followed by Keep It Right There. Resurfacing two years later with Forbidden
Fruit, he then released Heads Up for Another Side of Midnight, Next
To You, and In Deep.

Additional Information

MCG Jazz’s mission is to preserve, present and promote jazz. Through our performances, we strengthen the long time Pittsburgh jazz community and contribute to the overall cultural and artistic diversity of the region. Through our live recordings we reach a national and international audience - a market we’d like to grow. Through our educational programs we are able to have students attend the concerts at low or no cost to them, make artists available for master classes and provide opportunities for internships in production and marketing.

Since 1987, MCG Jazz has brought audiences together with jazz artists at its 350 seat music hall in Pittsburgh for innovative 4-day performances and recordings. Many of these international masters of jazz would headline a list of Jazz’s “Needs No Introduction” - Joe Williams, Billy Taylor, Dizzy Gillespie, Stanley Turrentine, Ray Brown. MCG Jazz Archives now contain over 300 CDs worth of jazz history by those who represent the past, present and future of jazz music. The performance series, one of the oldest in the nation, is an anchor of Pittsburgh cultural and community life.

The jazz artists come to the Guild to perform with an understanding that we’re a school. Most leave feeling that they got as much or more from their MCG experience than they gave. They frequently mention “hope” and “the spirit of the place.” You will hear what they mean in their recordings. MCG Jazz label recordings are unusually joyful. Artists spread the word and encourage others to perform here. Many come back time and again, choosing to record something unique on the MCG Jazz label. They generously give proceeds to support our programs.

GUIDE TO THE GUILD:

PARKING

• MCG has parking lots in both the front and
rear of the building. Front parking is reserved for MCG Jazz Club members with
a parking pass. The rear lot is free and open to all other patrons. In the
event that the lots are full, you may park onthe street or at the Casey
Industrial Park.

CHILDREN

• Children are always welcome at MCG Jazz, and we invite you to bring yours at any time. All children must have a purchased ticket, but student discounts are available for most shows. Please remove disruptive children.

LATECOMER
& RE-ENTRY POLICY

• Please
arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled start time of your concert. Latecomers will
be seated at the first convenient pause in the program.

• House management and ushers will not open
the doors after the lights are dimmed or during the artist’s performance.
Management accepts no responsibility for this inconvenience.

CAMERAS AND
RECORDING DEVICES

• Recording
devices are not permitted in the concert hall.

• Please
turn off all cell phones, pagers, and other electronic devices.

• Remember: the light and sound from your
cell phone, Bluetooth headset, or other personal device is distracting to
others.

SPECIAL
ACCOMMODATIONS

• Wheelchair seating is available and can be
requested when buying tickets. If you have any other needs, please bring them
to the attention of the box office when purchasing tickets or to an usher upon arrival
at the concert hall.

SMOKING

• Manchester
Craftsmen’s Guild is a non-smoking facility.

CONCEALED
WEAPONS

• Concealed
weapons are not permitted on the property.

COATS &
BAGS

• A coat
rack is provided for your convenience. Please do not carry large bags,
strollers, or other disruptive items into the concert hall. Management accepts
no responsibility for items left at the coat rack.

DRESS CODE

• MCG Jazz
does not enforce any type of dress code. Many patrons dress “business casual”
or “evening casual,” but please wear whatever makes you most comfortable.

REFRESHMENTS

•
Refreshments can be purchased at the bar in the lobby.

• Food &
drink of any kind are not permitted in the concert hall.

• Management reserves the
right to refuse service and admission to any person whose conduct is deemed
inappropriate or disruptive to the audienceor performers.